By David Crystal

New from Cambridge University Press!

By Peter Mark Roget

This book "supplies a vocabulary of English words and idiomatic phrases 'arranged … according to the ideas which they express'. The thesaurus, continually expanded and updated, has always remained in print, but this reissued first edition shows the impressive breadth of Roget's own knowledge and interests."

Book Information

Are the dialects of England disappearing in the wake of globalisation and‘Estuary English’, or are geographical differences as strong as ever? JoanBeal looks at recent research into regional variation in England, discussesthe evidence for ‘dialect levelling’ and argues that, despite this,features of dialect are still clear markers of regional and local identity.

Chapters outlining the main regional differences in accent, dialect grammarand dialect vocabulary are followed by discussions of research intogeographical diffusion, levelling, issues of identity and stereotypes. Eachchapter is accompanied by either an exercise based on data provided, adata-gathering exercise using methodological tools provided, or an extractfrom a media article provided to provoke discussion. The book also includesa guide to resources available for the study of regional dialects in England.

Features:* An up-to-date account of research into regional variation in England* A practical, ‘hands on’ approach, providing the reader with the methodsand resources to carry out research projects* Includes exercises for use in class.

Joan Beal is Professor of English Language and Director of the NationalCentre for English Cultural Tradition at the University of Sheffield. Sheis co-editor of EUP’s Dialects of English series. Her previous books areEnglish Pronunciation in the Eighteenth Century, English inModern Times and Language and Region.